EU to review air quality rules

The public consultations on the robustness of the EU air quality legislations, comprised of the two Ambient Air Quality Directives as well as of the Implementing Decision and the Commission Directive have recently been finalized.

The Directives had established European standards for a series of pollutants and aimed on ensuring their comprehensive and harmonized implementation in all member states. The review of the Directives is building upon the implementation experience in the EU Member States aiming to consolidate the EU legislative and regulatory framework. In addition to the entry into force of the new National Emission Ceiling Directive the EU is making decisive steps to achieve its 2030 emission reduction commitments.

The new legislation is expected to enshrine the stringency of the policy’s health objectives to reduce the impacts of atmospheric pollution to public health and reflect the cost of pollution to public budgets. While a debate on the rationalization of national public health budgets is expected to be triggered thereof, the effects of the stringent regulations are expected to be felt mainly on the EU agriculture, transport, shipping and energy production, especially in units that are beyond the urban limits. The above sectors are expected to bear the burden of timely and accurate compliance to the reviewed legislation.